Beautiful and Busy Day ...

Hello Everyone!

Today started out cold, 6 degrees F at 7:00 AM with fog and no winds. Then, it warmed up to 25 degrees F. Although the lake is slowly freezing in front of our cabin, we still have waterfowl taking advantage of the open waters.  Today, we noticed some new ducks swimming and diving to catch a meal.

We identified them to be -- Common Golden Eye's 

Our sunrise over the mountains at 11:05 AM.  One of my ski trail runs to the left of the wind tower and meanders down the beach. 

Sunrise getting under way.  As you can see our boat is tucked away for the winter.  I keep a water hole open behind the boat so that I can haul water.  Today, I broke ice to keep the hole open.  I'm sure it is a loosing battle to keep the ice from forming but, I'm having fun breaking up the forming ice and playing in the water.  I've also noticed that my water hole is visited by numerous rabbits.  The boat offers them some shelter from overhead predators.  Thirsty rabbits need to hop from the tree edge on shore and cross the open rock beach to get to the water for a drink.  I call the open space between the trees, beach and water 'the death zone' because eagles are waiting to swoop down from the tall Cotton Wood Trees to catch a rabbit. 

Ernie working -- measuring and cutting pine planking for the cabin's living room.

Old ice chunks on top of new ice hidden beneath the snow.  This photo is in front of the 'hundred foot easement'  - the ice extends to the mainland on the other side of the lake. The ice further out is not thick enough to hold human weight yet.

Ernie's pine plank project is well underway - as he watches the Sunday football game.

 

Mystery animal tracks - on my walk today I came across these tracks.   They  were not like the rabbit  tracks that we've seen - these tracks are just two by two - no hopping belly marks or the traditional rabbit track pattern.  The print is about 2 to 3 inches from top to bottom and are paired with a spaced every 7 to 8 inches apart between track sets.  The tracks lead out of the tree line, down the beach and meandered back into the trees - anyone have any idea?  We are making a wild guess that MAYBE its a coyote track - possibly 'they' have come to the island since the lake is frozen between the hundred foot easement and the mainland.  Anyway, until we know for sure what animal made these track - I will be cautious during my outdoor walks.

A question came in from one of the Followers:  Why do you mention the wind in some of your blogs?  Answer:  Well, we need the wind to store energy in our battery bank.  We live off the grid and depend upon the wind and sun to store electricity in our battery banks.  We also use a backup generator as necessary - when we have no sun or wind. 

Something that we've noticed during our stay through 'freeze-up' -are the winds or lack of.  In the summer we get winds from the Southeast and they blow every 3 to 4 days - at various miles per hour - from variable winds to gale force.  Now, during the winter, the winds come from the North and by pass our side of the island.  Recently the North Winds have been blowing from the North West or North East - when I walk to the other side of the island - I get blasted by the winds then, when I round the corner - so to speak - to our side of the island - the winds are no longer blowing.  I'm sure these winter wind patterns are common - and as we go into the new year and closer to Spring Solstice - the wind patterns will change.  We'll see.

Take care Everyone and thanks for checking-in!